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Vitamin D and Sleep: Interview with Dr. Stasha Gominak 2018

Part 1

I’m so happy to have Dr. Stasha Gominak back again to give us a review and update on the importance of the hormone, Vitamin D, and how it affects everything, including your brain, gut, skin, pancreas, bones, and your sleep.

Dr. Stasha Gominak is a Baylor College of Medicine alumna and completed her Neurology residency at the Harvard-affiliated, Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. She has utilized her skills to assist 1,000s of clients. Now retired from daily practice, Dr. Gominak, MD is committed to helping people across the world achieve pain-free lives through sleep repair.

In this 47 minute interview, Dr. Gominak will reveal the following:

The link between Vitamin D, headaches and sleep apnea

The link between Vitamin D and B12, and sleep problems

Vitamin D receptors in the sleep nuclei in the brain

Vitamin D as the primary endocrine/reproductive control center for seasonal changes

Thank you Dr Park and Dr Gominak for another stellar podcast! It is so exciting to hear you find more puzzle pieces on the critical functions of D and B and the microbiome, and to empower patients to become involved in their own health. Dr Park– I know you were on the Oral Health Summit still underway– and that Methylation expert Dr Ben Lynch is also on it. I would love to hear a 3 way conversation between the both of you and Dr Ben Lynch! I have been reading Dr Lynch’s book “Dirty Genes” and have run his Stratagene genetic report thru my 23 and Me genetic profile. I will bet you ANYTHING that your patients are much more likely than the average population to have Vitamin D receptor issues like I do. (It takes me 10,000 units of D to get to a level of 63.) I am ++ on VDR Fok 1, and +/- on Taq 1 and Bsm 1. (and also Methylation issues with the B’s less effective as I have.) Dr Lynch is currently working with world renowned UCSD geneticist Dr Robert Naviaux (author of the Cell Danger Response theory) on a new much more detailed version of the 23 and Me data– coming out possibly by the end of the year!
I predict this genetic information will skyrocket your puzzle pieces falling into place– and link the gut microbiome, as well as the function of the brain. I don’t know the cost of the new gene testing– but I am sure it will not be more than the current 23 and Me 200.00 fee, and probably less as Drs Naviaux and Lynch are both humanitarians. I can tell you that as a patient, to have wait to the current medical model gets around to catching up the the current Vit D research is a waste of critical time– when so many leaps forward are already happening under the Integrated model of medicine with a motivated patient participation and self funding of data collection so readily available.
It would be straightforward to put together a collection of data on a survey website using your database of patient contacts– requiring just the price of a home 200.00 gene saliva test, a 40.00 Stratagene interpretation report, and a 17.00 “Dirty Genes” book to get a baseline— (with a small fee to cover expenses of the site) to amass data showing the difference in the OSA/UARS population. And then— empowering the patient to correct through lifestyle choices the B levels (Methylation)– understand why they might need more Vitamin D, and what kind of Vitamin B is right for them (not folic acid)— how this might relate to sleep function, headaches, etc. Ideally– this would include self reporting labs tracked in time– and a detailed set of Q’s— ie: did your mother have excessive morning sickness during her pregnancy with you? (If she did not have Vitamin B-6– she did not pass it to you– an epigenetic change.) Which latitude were you born in? Is this where your mother/father grew up? (This would track the epigenetic changes for Vitamin D)
Thank you SO MUCH for your work. Very exciting times to be alive. On a personal level– I hope to inspire a similar study for the Primary Immune deficiency crowd (CVID)– of which I am one. I firmly believe that poor gut health is linked to OSA. When i was on an anti-parastic 2 years ago— Alinia— on day 5 I got an overnight sleep study. My usual baseline of an AHI of 17 went to 4.5! Very inspiring info. It went right back when stopped. The health of the microbiome is linked to everything.
Looking forward to part 2, and further dialog with relating it to Methylation. Dr Lynch’s message is that— you are not your genes— you may have genes that predispose— but that though lifestyle modifications you can vastly improve your health. You are all heros in my book— more power to you!

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The Breathe Better, Sleep Better Live Better podcast is aimed at helping you get the sleep you need and the life you want. Hear from leading experts in the field of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS) what you can do to overcome these chronic health problems.

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About Dr. Park

Dr. Steven Y. Park is an author and surgeon who helps people who are always sick or tired to once again reclaim their health and energy. For the past 13 years in private practice and 4 years in academia, he has helped thousands of men and women breathe better, sleep better, and live more fulfilling lives.

The material on this website is for educational and informational purposes only and is not and should not be relied upon or construed as medical, surgical, psychological, or nutritional advice. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your medical regimen, exercise or diet program. Some links may go to products on Amazon.com, for which Jodev Press is an associate member.